The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1887-03-10
AN AMERICAN BRIG!
Of Seven Guns and Ninety Men Fight the
Battle Of Fayal
Against Three British ships Of the Line
and Two Thousand British seamen---
The "ThermOpylHe of the Ocean"
and "DemOn Americana"

There has lain upon the desk Of the
President for some time q plain, steel
scabbarded sword, old fashioned IN
style and serViceable rather than ele,
CANT, slightly curved, somewhat battered
and generally weapon that looks as
though 1t had seen service. And II has,
and service, too, In one Of the most
heroic actions described in the pages or
American history.
A dsy or two ago the President sent
this sword to Congress, and 1t will prob
ably become the duty OF the National
museum, In which so many ether Valua
BILE relics are deposited, to give IL q
place In which 1t may be seen In COM
Dany with sketch Of the hero and the
heroic contest that make 1t sacred
The presentation to Congress, through
the President, by Col. Samuel Q. Reid Of
this battle saber OF his father, the late
Samuel Chester Reid, who commanded
the United States private armed brig Of
war Gen. Armstrong at the battle Of
Fayal, In September, 1914, Is excuse
enough for reViVing some Incidents
which have passed out OF mind.
The Armstrong was little brig OF but
240 tons, carrying but seven guns and
ninety men. She was attacked In the
neutral waters Of the AZOre Islands by q
British squadron, consisting OF the ship
Of the line Plantsgenet, the frigate Rota
and the slOOp of war CarnatiOn, with o
total amount Of 1876 guns and 2.0O0 men,
The British lost over 300 OF their picked
men and officers In killed and wounded,
The action has we'll been called the
"ThermopylROt OF the Ocean" for no naval
battle in ancient or modern history Is
comparable with that of the Armstrong
at Fsyal, either as to the unequal forces
engaged, the unyielding and lLnexlole
bravery Of her officers and crew, nor as
to the grand results which followed In
the defeat Of the British expedition
against Louisiana.
The height of herOism and romantic
chiValry were displayed by Captain
Reid and his crew In the last act OF
this extraordinary naval drama. Afte
scuttllng his vessel to save her from
capture he went ashore with his men
and arms, when the commander of the
sou dron, Admiral Lloyd, demanded
their surrender and threatened to serd
500 men to take them. Reid retired
with his men to an old gothic convent,
which he fortified, knocked away the
draWbridgs, ran up the American d g
and bade the enemy defiance. Lloyd
dusiled under this last exhibition Of
he0ric courage, saying they were lemons
and not men.
The squadron under Lloyd was on Its
way to the island of Jamaica to join the
great fleet assembled there under Admi-
raj Lord CochrRne, afterward Earl OF
DQndonald, who was cOn6dentially In
trusted with the secret expedition for
CONQUEST Of Louisiana. The last hope OF
England to Wrest the control Of the Mis-
sissippi river and the province OF Louis
lana from France had been fOiled by
Napoleon, who, seeing he had no means
of protecting II from the conquest Of
Eogland, ceded II to the United States
In 1903.
On the declaration of war by the
United States In 1912, Englan0's eyes
were once more turned to the coveted
possession, and after making q demon
stratiOn against Washington and Bal
timOre. she assembled her combined
fleets, no longer needed for the block
AIDES Of the French coasts, at Negril bay,
Jamaica, to carry out this great design.
The crippled condition Of LlOyd's squad
ron had created q delay Of over ten
days In repairing damages, as they were
occupied three days alone in burying
their dead. On the arrival Of Lloyd at
Jamaica a further delay Of q week took
place, Admiral Lord COchrane being
furious at Lloyd's disaster, which final
ly proved fatal to the expedition. The
feet did not arrive off Lake BOrgne un-
til four days after the arrival OF General
Jackson with his forces, which barely
gave him time to make a defense, 80
that, had the feet arrived ten days be.
fore, when New Orleans and the coast
was utterly defenseless, an easy con-
quest would have been made, and once
In possession 1t Is doubtful II the treaty
of peace would have been ratified by
England. Thus 1t is clearly demon
strated that II Captain Reid had surren-
dered his vessel against such an over
whelming force, which he might have
done without the imputati0n OF coward
Ice, Louisiana might today be under the
flag Of st. George.
TO Captain Reid Ia not only due the
credit Of this victory, but Its general re-
suits In saving domain now more than
three times larger than the territory OF
France, and 1t Is worthy to be remem-
bered that this gallant sailor became
afterwRId the designer OF the present
form Of the United States flag, as adopt |
ed by Congress In 1918. His name and
fame deserve to be commem0Fated, and
Congress should show the gratitude OF
the people by making an appropriation
for a substantial and enduring testi- |
mOnial To his bravery and usefulness.